Electrical distributer



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ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTBR.

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ELEGTRIGAL DISTRIBUTBR.

No. 354,6 Patented Deo. 2:1, 1886.

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No. 354,606. Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

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ELECTRICAL 'DISTRIBUTER circuit ot' variable electro-motive force and tUNITED STA rss 'i PATENT Omen.

RICHARD H. MATHER, OF

WINDSOR, GONNEOTCUT.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATIN forming part of Letters Patent No. Sfa, dated December 2l, 1886.

Application filed July 15, 1886. Serial No. 208,070.

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that l, RICHARD H. Marana, of iVindsor, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Distributers, of Which the following is aspeciiication, illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

rlhis distributer is designed to be inserted in an electric circuit of constant current for the purpose of producing in a second circuit, which is fed from the iirst, a constant electromotive force.

In view of the fact that variable electro-mo tive force is in practice usually associated with constant current, and that constant electroinotive force is in like manner associated with variable current, this invention may be said to be desgned to be inserted in an electric constant current for the purpose of producing in a second circuit, which is fed from the first, a constant clectromotive force and variable current.

More particularly, the object of this invention is to facilitate the operation of incandescent lamps or other translating devices, which are arranged in parallel and require aconstant electro-motive force in the saine circuit or in a part of the same circuit with electriclarc lamps or other translating devices, which are arranged in series and require a constant current. This object I accomplish by connecting the lamps or other translating devices in parallel with an artificial resistance, which is automatically varied in proportion tothe variable number of lamps or other translating devices Which are in operation in such a manner as to preserve a constant resistance between the terminals of the distributor.

The principal features of said invention are a rlieostat, an electric motor operating the same, an electro mechanical movement for causing the engagement and disengagement of said motor with said rheostat, a relay controlling said motor, a short-circuiting device,and suitable connections and interconnections, as hereinafter explained.

Figure l in the drawings is a front View of my improved distributer with connections and (No model.)

.section on c afin Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side view of the relay-magnet. Figs. G and 7 are front views ofthe cut-outand contiguousparts,show ing connections.

In the drawings, the numerals l to 15, inclusive, indicate the several resistance-coils of a rheostat, arranged inr any convenient position, and connected-in the usual manner with cach other and with an equal number of brass studs or other contacts, 16 to 31, inclusive, which are arranged, for convenience, in the arc of a circle, and are countersunk or otherWise insulated in plate 32. The aggregate resistance of these coils is such as is involved in the operation of the distributer, as hereinafter explained, and the greater the numthan the distance between any two adjacent studs, While the other end of said arm is util ized as a support for a parallel spring, 42, hereinafter described. Said arm is also pro vided with a spring, 37, which tends to hold the samein the position shown in Fig. 7. Two

kpins or other suit-able stops, 36, are placed inv such positions as to prevent arm 33 from passing off said studs in either direction.

l Arbor 34 is mounted rotatably in a supporting-standard, 38, which is of any convenient form,allowing the arbor to extend in both directions from the standard. Aperforated disk or collar, 39, is fixed immovably upon arbor 34,

between standard 3S and arm 33. A second collar, 40, is fixed rotatably upon said arbor, between arm 33 andthe adjacent terminal nut or fixed collar 4l. A metallic spring, 42, supported, as above mentioned, 'from one end of cross-arm 33 .in a position approxlmately IOO parallel thereto, is armed with a terminal pin, 43, which rests normally in the position shown in Fig. 4, partly in a hole, 44, through collar 40, and partly in a hole, 45, through arm 33.

Pin 43 is capable of moving longitudinally insaid holes 44 and 45, which are continuous with each other. The several perforations 46 through collar 39, are of the same diameter as holes 44 and 45, and are in such positions that each of said perforations may successively become continuous with holes 44 and 45 during a single revolution of collar 39. At the other side of standard 38 a worm wheel, 47, is mounted upon arbor 34,and is immovable relatively thereto. Worm-wheel 47 isin constant engagement with a worm, 48. The latter is carried by the armature-shaft 58, hereinafter described, of a reversible electric motor, 49. This motor has a field-magnet, 50, consisting of two parallel limbs, 51 and 52, which are wound with coils 53 and 54, respectively, in the usual manner, while 55 and 56 are polepieces of said ield-magnet,and are adjacent to armature 57. The latter is mounted in the usual manner upon shaft 58, which is journaled in magnet 50 and in yoke 59. This yoke is fastened to field-magnet 50 by bolts or screws and 60.

The commutator 61 is mounted upon shaft 58 in the usual manner, between limbs 51 and 52 of magnet 50. Brushes 62 and 63, allowing the armature 57 to rotate in either direction, are held in proper positions of contact with commutator 61 by their respective holders 64 and 65, which are fastened to opposite sides of field-magnet 50 by bolts or screws 66, and are separated from that magnet by intermediate insulating-plates,67 and 67. This motor is attached to any suitable frame or box, 68, containing or supporting the rheostat,already described. Attached to the same support is an electro-mechanical movement, which is designed to control the engagement and disengagement of said motor with said rheostat by locking together said perforated collar 39 and contact-arm 33, and by unlocking the same by means of spring 42 and pin 43. This movement consists of an electro-magnet, 69, wound with helix 97, and having apole or pole-piece, 70, and an armature, 71, which is mounted upon a spring, 115. At a point remote from pole this spring is screwed or otherwise firmly attached to a rigid support or standard, 72, in such a position that an adjustable contact-screw, 73, passing through spring 115, will at all times present itself to spring 42, and will deflect the same by pressure thereon whenever armature 71 is attracted into a position of cont-act with pole-piece 70. Attached to the same support is the relay-magnet 74, consisting of a spool or bobbin of soft iron, 75, upon which is wound in the usual manner the helix 76 of insulated copper wire. This helix is wound to that degree of electro-magnetic efficiency which is hereinafter specified. The ends of spool are enlarged and extended in pole-pieces 77 and 77, which are cylindrically concave toward each other at the front side of magnet 74. Spool 7 5is further providedwith a central annular projection, 78, upon which the armature 79 is mounted between polepieces 77 and 77 by a central pivot or serew,80.

Armature 79 is a magnetic plate, which is perforated in the middle for screw 80, and is rounded oft' at the ends upon the same cylindrical curve as are the concave suri'accs,which are presented thereto by the pole-pieces 77 and 77. Armature 79 is provided with a spring, 81, which tends to turn the saine upon pivot 80 away from pole-pieces 7 7 with a degree of force which is hereinafter specified.

A strip of copper, 82, in a normal position parallel to the axis of spool 75, is mounted, in arigid and insulated manner, upon armature 79. This copper strip is free to move laterally between two contacts or plates of conductive material, 83 and 84, whenever motion is imparted to armature 79. Contacts 83 and 84 are fastened upon one end of spool 7 5, on opposite sides of the normal position oi' strip 82, and at such a distance therefrom that one or the other of said contacts must be touched by said strip whenever the latter reaches a predetermined amplitude of deflection from its normal position. These contacts are insulated from spool 75 and from each other. The electro-magnetic efficiency of helix 76 and the traction of spring 81 are such relatively to each other that contact-strip 82 is held in equi librium in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 whenever that helix is energized by a n ormal current; but it is deilected to a position of contact with one or the other of said contact-plates whenever the current energizing that helix is increased or diminished, as hereinafter described.

'The best form of shortcircuiting device which I have contemplated, in connection with the present invention, is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in two several positions relatively to the contiguous parts of the invention, as already described. This device comprises abent lever, 85, having a long arm, 86, ashort arm, 87, a small arm, 88, derived from arm 86, and a terminal head of arm 86, which is armed with a piece of copper for the purpose of making electrical contact with the insulated copper contact-piece 112 upon the lower pole-piece 77 of spool 75. This lever is pivoted at the junction of arms 85 and 86 upon a suitable insulated standard or bracket, 89, in such a position that arm 85 may engage contactarms 33, as hereinafter described. Arms 85 and 33 are insulated from each other. Lever 85 is provided with a spring, 91, which tends to turn the same upon pivot 92 as a fulcrum to the position shown in Fig. 6, in which arm 86 is in contact with contact-piece 112. For the purposes of this eut-out the magnet 74 is provided with an insulated lateral armature, 93, which is mounted upon a spring, 116, in position to engage arm 88, in the manner shown in Fig. 7, and hereinafter described. Theincandescent lamps 106, or other translating devices IOO IIO

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and an electro-motive force not exceeding the minimum electro-motive force lwhich is snpplied from the same source.

The electrical connections involved in this invention are as follows: Binding-posts 94 and 95, being respectively connected by main circuit-wires (not shown in the drawings) with the posi tive and negative poles of a generator,

are the terminals of the instrument. The positive terminal 94 is connected with coil 54 by coarse wire 96. Coil 54 is connected with brush-holder 64 by coarse wire 98. Brushholder 64 is connected with coil 53 by coarse wire 99. Coil 53 is connected with helix 97 by the coarse wire 100. The last-mentioned helix is connected with binding-post 101 by coarse wire 102. The resistances 1 to 15, and the contactstuds 16 to 31 of lthe rheostat, are connected with each other in the usual manner, as already stated, and as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The main wires 104 and 105, running to the lamps 106, are respectively counected with binding-posts 101 and 103.' The negative terminal 95 is similarly connected by coarse wire 117 with binding-post 103, and by coarse wire 107 with contact-arm 33. The terminals 94 and 95 are also connected with each other through helix 76 by means of the fine wires 10S and 90 and a portion of wire 96. Terminal 94 is connected with contact-plate 84 by fine wire 110. Contact-strip 82 is connected with brush-holder by tine wire 109. Contact-plate 83 is connected with wire 100 by tine wire 111. Contact-piece 112 is connected by a large wire, 113, with the negative terminal 95, while the standard 89 is similarly connected by large wire 114 with wire 100. In short, the lamps and resistances are connected in parallel. The relaymagnet is a shunt to both. The locking-magnet is connected in series with the held-magnet of the motor, while the armature of the motor when in use is in a derived circuit about one limb of the iield-inagnet of the same.

This invention further presents all such other features and particulars of construction as are necessarily involved in the mode of operation, as illustated by the drawings, and as hereinafter described.

Such being the construction and connections -of my improved electrical distributer, the

mode of its operation is as follows: Then the connected generator supplies no current, the contact-strip 82 is deiiected and pressed against contact-plate S3 by the force of spring 81. Contact-arm 33 is deiiected to a position of contact with contact-stud 16 by the force ofspring 37, as shown in Fig. 7. Armature 93 is held apart from the adjacent pole-piece 77 of magnet 74 by the yforce of the supporting-spring 116 in the position shown in Fig.

7 Lever 85 is held by the force of spring 91 and the opposing pressure of arm 87 against armature 93, in the position shown in Fig. 7, whereby arm S6 and contact 112 are separate from each other. At the same time contactarm 33 is in mechanical contact with arm 85, as shown in the same figure. Armature 71 is held apart from its contiguous pole-piece by spring 115. Contact-screw 73 exerts little or no pressure upon spring 42. locking-pin 42 is in its normal position described above and shown in Fig. 4, and the distributer is inoperative. If, while the several parts of the distributer are in the positions `just described, a current be supplied from the generator and all the lamps 106be turned on, a small portion of that current will pass from bindingpost 94 by way or wires 90 and 96 to helix 76, will traverse that helix, and thence pass by wire1 08 to binding-post 95. All t-he remaining portion of the current which is supplied by the generator will pass from binding-post 94 by wire 96 to coil 54, will traverse that coil, will then pass by wire 98 to brush-holder 64, and will there divide into two portions. One of these portions will pass on by wire 99 in the course which is to be delineated below, while the other portion will follow holder 64 and brush 62 to commutator 61, will traverse that commutator and also armature 57 to brush 63, will follow brush 63, holder 65, wire 109, strip 32, plate 83, wire 111, and wire 100 to helix 97. The current which passes on from holder 64 bywire99 traverses helix 53, and then proceeds by wire 100 to helix 97. The current so lead in two courses to helix 97 will thence pass by wire 102 to bindingpost 101. There this current will divide into two portions. One portion will pass by wire 104 through lamps 106, and thence by wire 105, binding-post 103, and wire 117 to terminal 95, and the other portion will pass by resistance-coil 1, stud 16, and the intermediate wire to arm 33, and thence by wire 107 to terminal 95. Consequently motor 49, magnet 69, magnet 74, and lamps 106 are brought into operation with the following result: The attraction exerted by pole-piece 70 upon armature 71, overcoming the resistance of spring 115, causes screw 73 to press upon spring 42 with such force that against the resistance of spring 42 the piny 43 is pushed into yone of the holes 49 in collar 39, whereby arm 33 and collar 39 are locked together. The rotation of armature 57, being transmitted by shaft 53, worin 48, worin-wheel 47, arbor 34, collar 39, and pin 43 to contact-arm 33, causes the latter to move by rotation from stud 16 toward stud 31. An increasing number of said resistance-coils is thereby automatically introduced into the circuit through the rheostat, and this operation continues until by reason of the increased resisiancein the rheostat-circuit andthe correspondingly-in creased current through helix 76 the armature 79, acting against the resistance of spring 8], moves strip 82 away from its position of contact with plate The IOO

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Vmature 57.

S3, and thus interrupts the circuit through ar- Then motor 49 stops and remains inoperative so long as contactstrip S2, being held in equilibrium by the opposing forces of magnet 71 and spring 81, remains in the normal position of separation from plates S3 and 84, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Arm 33 atrthe same time remains locked with collar 39. At this point in the operation of the invention the proposed distribution is realized. Those coils which are for the time being in the rheostat circuit present suoli resistance in that circuit that almost the entire current which is received by the distributer is forced in the parallel circuit through the lamps, which are thereby raised to their normal brilliancy. It, now, any number less than all of the lamps be turned out, the portion of the current passing through helix 76 is increased, and magnet 74 is energized to such a degree that armature 79, acting against the resistance of spring S1, detlecl's contactstrip 82 to a position of contact with plate Si. A portion of the current which is supplied to the distributer then passes from terminal 94 by wire 110, plate Si, strip S2, wire 109, holder 65, brush 63, through commutator and armature 61 and 57, and thence by brush 62 and holder 61 to wire 99, where it joins the current which is passing through that wire in the course already delineated. Armature 57 accordingly rotates as before, but in the opposite direction, and contactarm 33 is thereby caused to move by rotation with arbor 34 toward stud 16. An increasing number of those resistance-coils which were previously introduced into the circuit through the rheostat are now, by the described motion of arm 33, successively cut out of that circuit until, by reason of the diminished resistance therein and the correspondingly-diminished current through helix 76, the armature 79, yielding to the energy of spring S1, carries strip S2 away from its position ot' contact with plate 84, and

thus the circuit through armature 57 is again interrupted. Now the motor stops again, and

again remains inactive so long as the interruption continues. At this point in the Operation of the invention the proposed distribution of current is again realized, and the lamps which remainin operation receive only that quantity of current which is necessary t0 sustain their normal brightness. lf additional lamps be turned on or oii", the current is in like manner again distributed, according to the number of lamps in the circuit, until all the lamps have been turned off. If several lamps be turned ott at the same instant, or it' from any cause the current which is supplied to the distributer be suddenly increased to such an extent as to endanger the lamps, the current through helix 76 is instantly increased and armature 93 is magnetically attracted to a position of contact with the lower pole-piece 77. Lever is thus released, and by the energy of spring 91 is immediately drawn over to the position shown in Fig. 6, so that arm S6 and contactpiece 112 are brought together. A shortcircuit is then established between wire and terminal 95 by the way of wire 114,'standard S9, arm S6, contact 112, and wire 113, so that helices 76 and 97 are practically short-circuited. This short circuit so weakens the action of said helices that armatures 71, 93, and 79 are returned to their first positions, respectively, by the energy of their respective springs 115, 116, and 81. Contactarm 33, being released by the withdrawal of pin 4.3 from hole 46, is drawn over by the action of spring 37 to a position of contact with stud 16 and stop 36, as shown in Fig. 7, but in passing to that position engages arm 87, and thereby carries lever 85 against the resistance of spring 91 to the position shown in Fig. 7, and described above. Contact-arm 33 then short-circuits the lamps and resistances. Vhenever during the operation of the distributer current ceases to be supplied by the generator, contact-arm 33, being released, asjust described, and being without engagement with lever 85, drawn over the position last mentioned, short-circuits the lamps and resistances in the same manner. Thus the several parts of the distributer are again in position to operate as first above described.

So far as respects the present case, l hereby disclaim all things which are shown and claimed in my pending application No. 200, 929, filed May 3, 1886, for a patent upon an electromechanical movement.

1 now claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A reversible electric motor having a rotary armature, an electric relay comprising a pair of contacts, a movable conductor for making and breaking contact with the same, and an electro-magnet actuating said movable conductor, said relay being adapted to reverse said motor by reversing the direction of current through said armature, in combination with a set of resistances which are adapted to be successively introduced into circuit and to be successively cut out of circuit7 and with a second movable conductor which is actuated by said motor and is adapted to manipulate said resistances, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

, 2. An electric relay which is adapted to operate as a two-way switch, a reversible electric motor which is adapted to be controlled by said relay, a rheostat,and a movable conductor which is adapted to operate said rhcostat, in combination with intermediate locking mechanism whereby said conductor is brought into engagement with said motor, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A reversible electric motor7 an electric relay which is adapted to reverse said motor, a rheostat, and a movable conductor which is actuated bysaid motor, and is adapted to operate said rheostat, in combination with anumber of incandescent lamps or other translating devices arranged in parallel with said rheostat, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1. A reversible electric motor, an electric IOO ICS

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relay controlling said motor, a set of artificial resistances, and a movable conductor which is adapted to operate said resistances, in combination with locking and engaging mechanism between said motor and said conductor, and with a variable number of incandescent lamps or other translating devices arranged in parallel are, substantially as and for the purpose specified. p

5. As a means of effecting an engagement between the movable conductor of a rheostat and the arn'iature-shaft of an electric motor, an arbor mounted in a suitable bearing, a worm and worm-wheel for driving said arbor, a fixed perforated collar, a loose collar and a contact-arm mounted'upon said arbor, a pin whereby said arm and collars may be locked together, and a spring which carries said pin, in combination with an elcctromagnet and armature thereof which are adapted to press said pin into the perforations of said fixed collar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

G. A rotary shaft mounted in a suitable bearing, a worm-wheel, a fixed perforated collar, a loose collar, and a contact-arm all mounted upon sa-id shaft, a pin whereby said contact-arm and fixed collar may be locked together, and a spring which carries said pin and is attached to said arm, in combination with a worm upon the armature-shaft of an electric motor, and with an electro-magnet and armature thereof', which are adapted to press said pin into the perforations of' said xed collar, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

7. A rotary shaft mounted in a suitable support, a worm-wheel, a perforated collar, a loose collar, and a contactarm all mounted upon said shaft, and aspring which is armed with a pin, in combination with a worm upon the armatureshaft of' an electric motor, with a set of resistanccs having contacts within reach of said contactarm, and with an electro-magnet and armature thereof actuating said pin, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

8. A short-circuiting lever having a conductive arm,an insulated arm,and a stop-arm, a conductive plate for contact with said conductive-arm, an insulated support upon which said lever is pivoted, a spring or its equivalent acting upon said lever, and an electromagnet whose armature, being supported by a spring, is normally in a position of contact with said stop-arm, in combination with an electro mechanical movement which isadapted to engage said insulated arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. An electric relay which operates as a twoway switch, a reversible electric motor which is controlled by said relay, a movable conductor which is actuated from said motor, intermediate mechanism whereby motion is transmit ted from said motor to said conductor, a variable number of incandescent lamps or other translating` devices, a set of artificial resistances which are conncctible in parallel with said lamps or other translating devices,a shortcircuiting lever having an insulated arm,a conductive arm,and a stop-arm, an insulated support upon which said lever is pivoted, a conductive plate for contact with said conductive arm,and a spring or its equivalent acting upon said lever, in combination with a spring which supports au armature of said relay in a normal position of contactwith said stop-arm, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

10. A reversible electric motor having a rotary armature, means for reversing said motor, a variable number of translating devices, aset of resistances which are connectiblein parallel with said translating devices, and a movable conductor which is actuated from said motor and is adapted to operate said resistances, in combination with means for transmitting n1otion from said motor to said movable conductor, substantially as and for Ithe purpose specified.

ll. An electric relay which is adapted to operate as a two-way switch, a reversible electric motor which is controlled by said relay, a short-circuiting device, a rheostat, and a movable conductor which is adapted to operate said rheostat,in combination with intermediate locking mechanism whereby said motor is brought into engagement with said conductor, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

In testimony whereofl hereunto set my name in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD H. MATHER.

Witnesses:

WrLLARD EDDY, W. M. KYORKMAN., 

